I just returned from a short trip to Vancouver, WA, for the sole purpose of getting some snowboard time in at Mt. Hood Meadows.

One word: AWESOME.

This was definitely one of the better personal trips I’ve taken. In fact, I was having so much fun that I didn’t want to come home. Great people, great mountain, great food, great scenery… Couldn’t have asked for more. (Well, maybe a tiny bit of fresh powder would have been nice, but I’m not complaining.)

I did manage to get a 360 degree panorama from about 7,000 feet up Mt. Hood, but it needs a little bit of massaging before I can post it. Keep an eye out for it next week!

First Alaska post of the new year! I spent a beautiful afternoon at Eaglecrest watching brave skiers and snowboarders doing crazy things that would likely land me in the hospital… I’m content to snap a few photos. Of course, Pittman Ridge is an awesome place to see something you just can’t see from Juneau – the other side of Douglas Island. It’s amazing to be at a spot where you can see Admiralty Island and beyond on one side and the Mendenhall Valley on the other. Definitely reminds me why I love living here.